Immunisation Community of Practice

Two new provider types, Residential Care Facilities (RCFs) and Authorised Nurses Immunisers (ANIs) have been added to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) and can apply for an AIR Provider Number. This AIR update provides information and advice on possible scenarios.

The advice is that a nurse in general practice is not required to get an AIR provider number and therefore an ABN is not needed.

If someone is working as a contractor and needs an ABN they can apply directly to the ABR and there is no fee to get an ABN.

Q In what settings should an ANI apply for an AIR provider number?

A In NSW a Registered Nurse/Midwife who holds the relevant qualifications for administering immunisations independently, has an ABN and who:

• plans on administering vaccines independently, or
• administers vaccines at a location that does not already have or is unable to register for an AIR provider number

The Authority for Nurse/Midwife Immunisers has been amended to include the following additional vaccines:

• Japanese encephalitis vaccines – mandatory training required
• Typhoid vaccines
• Herpes Zoster – Shingrix only. Does not include Zostavax

The Authority is available from: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Documents/authority-for-RNs-and-midwives.pdf

In order to administer the Japanese encephalitis vaccines Authorised Nurse/Midwife Immunisers must have completed Japanese encephalitis: A resource for registered nurses and midwives

Researchers at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) are conducting a study investigating the current utilisation of vaccine safety surveillance systems by immunisation providers across Australia. To help inform this study, you are invited to participate in a short telephone or videoconference interview to share your experiences – good, bad or non-existent – with vaccine safety surveillance systems in your daily practice.

The findings from this study will help improve vaccine safety surveillance systems in Australia, ensuring they are fit-for-purpose for the needs of you and your patients in the future.

Click here to register your interest

Participants will be given a voucher for their time and interviews can be scheduled at a time that suits you to ensure there is no impact on your ability to see patients. Interviews will take place throughout October and November.

For further information or if you have any questions about the study, please email NCIRS Senior Program Officer, Nicola Carter at Nicola.Carter@health.nsw.gov.au

Expressions of interest close 30 October 2022.

If your practice has not received the vendor email invite to obtain your reimbursement for private flu vaccines. Please email kwisemantel@thephn.com.au with your details and best email address and I can action it with the Ministry of Health.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has developed guidelines to provide advice on the management of a range of possible vaccine administration errors, including when a replacement (repeat) dose is recommended. The guidelines are available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

The latest version (7 September 2022) includes updated advice on incorrect storage and handling and consolidated advice on unapproved age group.

Immunisation payment statement

Recognised vaccination providers can access their monthly immunisation payment statement on the AIR site.

The benefits of accessing your payment statements from the AIR site are:

• they’re available immediately after each payment run
• you can view, save or print them as often as you need to
• you can access them when it’s convenient for you
• using your PRODA account, you can use any internet connected device including your PC, mobile phone or tablet.

The immunisation notifications reconciliation report includes immunisation details recorded on the AIR during the last month. It lists details about immunisation claims, AIR payments and reasons why a claim may not be payable.

This report is available on the AIR site on the second last Tuesday of each month.

Service Australia Vaccination Provider Information Payments

How to claim:

1. Complete the reimbursement form (one form per practice)
2. Attach vaccine purchase invoice
3. Email to: MOH-NSWHealth@health.nsw.gov.au (no confirmation email is sent)

Deadline: COB Friday 26th August 2022

Next steps:

Approximately 1-2 weeks after your email has been sent, you will receive an additional email from NSW Health

• From email HSNSW-eBusiness.WorkflowMailer@health.nsw.gov.au
• Subject line: “For Your Information: Invitation to register from Health System Support Group”
• With a request to set up your practice as a vendor in the NSW Health system
• Once you have been set up as a vendor, your payment request will be processed

If you have any questions regarding this reimbursement process, please contact NSW Health MOH-NSWHealth@health.nsw.gov.au.

Pfizer is sponsoring a 6-week consumer awareness radio campaign on pneumococcal pneumonia that will commence on 29^th August 2022 on 2GB in Sydney and 3AW in Melbourne. This campaign is a pilot and may be extended to other cities later this year.

There are 15 second and 30 second versions of two different ads, directing consumers to visit mylunghealth.com.au to take a short quiz to assess their risk of pneumococcal pneumonia and to speak to their doctor or nurse for more information.

You can listen to the 30 second versions of the ads by clicking the links below.

• 2GB Sydney – 30 second ad
• 3AW Melbourne – 30 second ad

Since July 2020, one dose of Prevenar 13® is funded for non-Indigenous adults 70 years and older, Indigenous adults 50 years and older* and people with certain risk conditions*. Prevenar 13® can be given at any time of year and only one dose is needed.

Prevenar 13® is recommended even in patients who have previously received 23vPPV, at least 12 months after their 23vPPV dose.

Please visit the Australian Immunisation Handbook for a complete list of funded risk conditions and pneumococcal vaccine recommendations https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/contents/vaccine-preventable-diseases/pneumococcal-disease#recommendations

*followed by 23vPPV doses

Share Your Immunisation Story via a photo or video

Are you interested in sharing your story via a pre-flimed video on how you have overcome or addressed an immunisation problem or have a great story to share?

If so please email details of your story to Rebecca at rbrennan@thephn.com.au, by Friday September 2nd

On this day I'd like to remind you that the meningococcal B vaccine (Bexsero®) was added to the National Immunisation Program schedule for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children <2 years of age, on the 1 July 2020.

Why is it being funded?

The incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) caused by serogroup B is highest in young children compared with other age groups and it is about 4 times higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged <2 years than in non-Indigenous children.

Immunisation providers are reminded to identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within your practices and discuss the need for additional recommended vaccines. It is important to alert parents of the need to buy paracetamol prior to vaccination.

Dose schedule

The number of Bexsero® doses required depends on age and presence of any medical conditions that increase the risk of IMD. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with:

• no medical risk conditions: 3 doses in total (given at 2*, 4 and 12 months of age)
• with risk conditions for IMD:4 doses in total (given at 2*, 4, 6 and 12 months of age)

Catch-up vaccination

Meningococcal B vaccine catch-up is available for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged <2 years until 30 June 2023.

Co-administration with other vaccines

The meningococcal B vaccine (Bexsero®) can be safely administered with other childhood vaccines and can be given at the same time at the 2*, 4 and 12 months schedule points.

Meningococcal vaccines for Australians - NCIRS fact sheet

Clinical advice for vaccination providers - Meningococcal vaccination schedule from 1 July 2020

Meningococcal B consumer resources

• Order posters here
• Order brochures here

Hear from this year's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day Ambassador Thomas Mayor about the 2022 theme and how to get involved: https://buff.ly/3oSOLLQ